Sign.



J. G. SMITH.

SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED I'BB.10, 1908.

965,544. Patented July 26,1910.

l/vitweoogo v v uuemfo'o v Jr/ww JAY 0. SMITH,

351 G 5km" @1 1 JAY 0. SMITH, or MARION, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR '10AMERICANSIGN ooMPANY, or

. KALAMAzoo, MIoI-IIeAN, n- CORPORATION. I

Specification of Letters Patent. I

sIeN.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Application filed February 10, 1908. Serial No. 415,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAY C. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Marion, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, havemade certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which thefollowing is a specification This invention relates to improvements ins1 ns.

lhe object of this invention is to provide in a sign in which the signcharacters are formed by lenses, an improved means for securing thelenses in position in a sheet metal sign face.

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction, willdefinitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the following specification.

The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claim.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification, in which 4., extending from-the to from the lowest points0 edges of these slits are bent or deflected in Figure 1 is a detailfront elevation of a structure embodying the features "of my invention.Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, taken on a line corresponding toline 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing the arrangementof one of the lenses in the lens or face plate of the sign. Fig. 4: is adetail perspective of the lens plate showing one of the lens openings.Fig. 5

is a detail horizontal section, taken on a.

line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, similar reference numerals refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing, I provide a casing 1 preferably consisting offrame pieces 14, on which the side walls of the casing are secured.These side walls are preferably formed of sheet metal, as illustrated,thin sheet steel being preferred. The front or face Wall 2 of the casingis provided with a plurality of openings 3, which are grouped to formthe characters or follow the outline of the characters or symbols of thesi n.

The face plate. or wall 2 also has slits, as enings, preferably theopenlngs. The

. its illumination,

opposite directions to form spring thread engaging members 5 and 6. Aplurality of lenses are provided, each haying or comprising a head 8,the outer surface of which is preferably convex, the inner surface 10being flat. .From this flat surface projects a threaded shank 9. Theinner end of the threaded portion is preferably concave, as shown at 11in Fig. 3. These lenses are screwed into the openings 3 tightly so thatthe inner flat face or shoulder 10 bears against the outer face of theface plate or wall 2, putting stress or tension on the thread-engagingmembers 5' and 6 for locking the lenses in place, and also as the lensesare thus screwed home, the openings 3 are sealedthus preventing theentranceof moisture into the casing, which is particularly injuriouswhere electric lamps are used as a lighting means, menti of electricinspection in most cities that signs using electric lamps must bemoisture proof. This I secure in a very simple and effective manner.

The illuminating means preferably consists of a plurality of electricincandescent lamps, the sockets 13 of'which are secured to the top andbottom rear frame pieces 14, the bulbs 12 being arranged in the socketsin the usual, or any desired manner. These lamps are arranged outside ofthe outer lenses of the sign characters, so that the light is .evenlydistributed within the casing and to 'all the lenses,that is, none ofthe lamps are located. directly at the rear of the lenses in alinementtherewith, but are without the line of the outer lenses so that thelight passing through the lenses is largely reflected light and evenlydistributed. By this arrangement, should one or more of the lamps becomeextinguished, the general appearance of the sign is not materiallyaffected, because no particular character of the sign depends upon aparticular lamp for the lenses being illuminate by illuminating theentire interior of the casing, and, as stated, from points outside ofthelifidf dfiter lenses.

The lamps can be connected by any suitable system of wiring, as 15,which is here shown in conventional form only.

In practice, the walls of the,casin g are preferably of suitablereflecting material, or coated therewith,'to secure the best results itbeing a common requirelight through the lenses,

lightthrough the lenses.

from'the lam ps and to efiectively refiectthe By'mountin the lensesinthe thin. h t metal front wa ,as described, they are secured withoutthe neces- 'sity of separate fastenings1 and with a' mlmmum ofobstruction to the passage of use, each of thelenses has the jappearanceof an electric light and acomparaappearance of the sign is not seriously.af-

fected. It is obvious that the lenses might be colored, as desired. Ifdesired, the face plate' 2 of the sign can bemade detac'hable so thatthe sign may-be changed by pr0vidv ing anew face plate with, the desiredcharacters formed thereon by'means of the lenses.

Having thus described my invention, what ters Patent is A' signcomprising a face plate of sheet metal containing a circular opening,having a' slit at one sidethereof, and a lensprovided with a shoulderarranged to contact with said plate and a-shank having a com pletescrew-thread, the thread being adapted to enter said slit and engage theedges of said opening throughout the circumference thereof, the threadandshoulder coacting to put stress on the metalIto-practically, closethe slit and seal the lens ill-place.

* JAY 0. SMITH.

IWitnesses (1E. Tumor, SOLON C. KEM N;

-I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-

